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Why Tibet Matters To Southasia (Himal)
Himal, Nepal.
BY | Bhuchung K Tsering
When reports about the possible entry of China into SAARC first appeared a
few years back, quite a few eyebrows went up. When China was subsequently
given observer status to the organisation in 2005, some wondered whether
SAARC would now be used as a forum for a proxy India-China battle for
regional dominance. As a Tibetan living in Southasia, China's connection
with SAARC has long held a particular interest for this writer. And indeed,
if there is any direct relevance to China's involvement in SAARC, it is due
to Tibet. In terms of physical geography alone, the main connection between
today's People's Republic of China and Southasia is through Tibet.
But what has SAARC got to do with Tibet? Historically, Tibet and the Tibetan
people have looked to the south for their spiritual and cultural heritage -
to countries including India, Bangladesh and Nepal. But this is not
necessarily why the rest of the Southasian countries should pay attention to
Tibet. The political path on the plateau and beyond is taking its own route.
Since 2002, there have been five rounds of discussions between envoys of the
Dalai Lama and representatives of the Chinese government on the future of
Tibet. As the Dalai Lama's special envoy, Lodi Gyari, said in recent
testimony before the US Congress, "We have now reached the stage where if
there is the political will on both sides, we have an opportunity to finally
resolve this issue." So, we now just need the Chinese leadership to
appreciate the vision and initiative of the Dalai Lama. Of course, a
resolution of the Tibetan issue will certainly contribute to peace and
stability in other parts of Southasia, as well.
However, Tibet should matter to Southasia because of its trade
possibilities, as well as its strategic and environmentally sensitive
location. At one time, within living memory, there was a robust trade
relationship between Tibet and its southern neighbours - Nepal, Bhutan and
India. A revival of such relations has considerable potential for helping to
speed up the rise of the Southasian economy. If there is truth to the belief
that China is a vast, tappable market, Southasia is well placed to tap it
through Tibet.
Second, the management of Tibet's rich water resources and environment will
have a long-term impact on the region as a whole. Critically, analysts
speculate that the next big global crisis will be on the sharing of water
resources. A report from 2000 by the Asian Development Bank on the "looming
water crisis" found that globally, "The demand for freshwater increased
sixfold between 1900 and 1995, twice the rate of population growth."
Further, "The most accessible water is that which flows in river channels or
is stored in freshwater lakes and reservoirs." In the Subcontinent, most of
the major rivers have their source in Tibet. According to the Central
Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala, "A substantial proportion of river
flows in Tibet are stable or base flows coming from groundwater and glacial
sources." Thus, the impact of changes in Tibet's glacial reserves - through
either climate change or more direct human intervention - will affect
regions far beyond Tibet.
Already some Southasian countries are experiencing the negative impact of
improper management of Tibetan river systems. Frequent flooding of the
Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) continues to have devastating results in India
and Bangladesh. According to a 2004 report, "The Brahmaputra is mainly
responsible for the annual floods that hit the eastern region of the
Subcontinent. Estimates say that [2004's] floods, the worst in a decade,
claimed close to 2000 lives in Bangladesh and in the eastern Indian states
of Bihar, West Bengal and Assam. Millions of people lost their homes in the
region that includes the foothills of Nepal." The report continued,
"International agencies once again began discussing the need for a regional
approach of water-resource management of the Himalayan rivers that flow
through China, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh."
When reports appeared in 2006 about China building a dam on the Yarlung
Tsangpo, strong reactions immediately arose from Assam and Arunachal
Pradesh, which would be directly impacted by the move. China subsequently
denied having any such plan, but the impact that the handling of Tibet's
rivers would have on downstream countries was crystal clear. Now that China
has an observer status to SAARC, the countries of Southasia have an
increased need, but also a crucial ability, to pay direct attention to the
situation in Tibet - environmental, political and social. Indeed, Southasia
as a whole now has both the increased impetus and leverage to call for the
opening up of Tibet, both physically and psychologically, to its southern
neighbours.
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